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Automotive News & Views United Automobile Workers of America (UAW)
16663 messages, Last post on Nov 08, 2009 at 9:32 PM
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Workers who got three days' notice their factory was shutting its doors have occupied the building and say they won't go home without assurances they'll get severance and vacation pay they say they are owed. About 200 union workers occupied the Republic Windows and Doors plant in shifts Saturday while union leaders outside criticized a Wall Street bailout they say is leaving laborers behind. Leah Fried, an organizer with the United Electrical Workers, said the Chicago-based vinyl window manufacturer failed to give 60 days' notice required by law before shutting down. During the peaceful takeover, workers have been shoveling snow and cleaning the building, Fried said. "We're doing something we haven't since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," Fried said. Protest organizers said the company can't pay employees because its creditor, Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America, won't let them. Crain's Chicago Business reported that Republic Windows' monthly sales had fallen to $2.9 million from $4 million during the past month. In a memo to the union, obtained by the business journal, Republic CEO Rich Gillman said the company had "no choice but to shut our doors." Bank of America received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. "Across cultures, religions, union and nonunion, we all say this bailout was a shame," said Richard Berg, president of Teamsters Local 743. "If this bailout should go to anything, it should go to the workers of this country." Outside the plant, protesters wore stickers and carried signs that said, "You got bailed out, we got sold out." Larry Spivack, regional director for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31, said the peaceful action will add to Chicago's rich history in the labor movement, which includes the 1886 Haymarket affair, when Chicago laborers and anarchists gathering in a square on the city's west side drew national attention when an unidentified person threw a bomb at police. "The history of workers is built on issues like this here today," Spivack said. Representatives of Republic Windows did not immediately respond Saturday to calls and e-mails seeking comment. Police spokeswoman Laura Kubiak said authorities were aware of the situation and officers were patrolling the area. Workers were angered when company officials didn't show up for a meeting Friday that had been arranged by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat, Fried said. Union officials said another meeting with the company is scheduled for Monday afternoon. "We're going to stay here until we win justice," said Blanca Funes, 55, of Chicago, after occupying the building for several hours. Speaking in Spanish, Funes said she fears losing her home without the wages she feels she's owed. A 13-year employee of Republic, she estimated her family can make do for three months without her paycheck. Most of the factory's workers are Hispanic |
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Replying to: chikoo (Dec 05, 2008 2:44 pm)
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Dec 06, 2008 1:39 pm) I believe that I read somewhere that Toyota and Honda in this country offer 401K with matching, just like the majority of non-auto companies. Very few companies are left with pension plans. Anybody who thinks pensions and health care supplied by your company are normal are living 30 years ago.
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I heard the UAW is expected to take a 40% pay cut to then make the same as transplant workers. So we are talking about taking a person making a little over $1000 a week and asking them to switch to $600 a week. We all just elected a president wanting to cut taxes for families making less than $75k a year or $1442 a week. People making $1442 a week need help in Barrack's eye. GM sells about 200 billion dollars a year worth of cars. The avg buyer puts down 10% so $180 billion dollars have to be loaned out each year by banks for GM to stay in business. So no wonder Toyota sales are down 43%. There is a credit crunch that is killing the big3. Give them the loans and get on with fixing the overall economy so that hundreds of billions of dollars a year can be loaned to car buyers. Too Too much discussion on what amounts to $100 out of $60,000 when you scale the auto bailout to the size of American economy. The rest of us who don't need a bailout will be the ones who do for our country. In 4 years, Obama and Pelosi can get booted out if this bailout is deemed a mistake. My view is that the 28 other more major financial issues facing our country also need attention from Congress. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Dec 06, 2008 2:06 pm) I'm not sure that the UAW or even non-UAW workers in Michigan realize the mentality of most of the country. From reading these boards it seems that the UAW sees a brotherhood and pride in having protected workers, even non-union workers. Most of the country sees a bunch of overpaid and over-benefitted whiners who hold companies hostage until they get their way. They see three formerly great companies collapsing with a significant part of the blame due to the UAW. So while the UAW may feel that the whole country will stand up for them, the reality is that most people want the UAW gone, because they've helped destroy a formerly very good auto industry and are going to cost the rest of us large $$ in taxes. We all want a vibrant domestic auto industry, and it is sad that the vibrant companies have to be foreign nameplates. The UAW is significantly responsible for this. |
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Dec 06, 2008 3:28 pm) Let me rephrase: "How does he feel about the government who encouraged competition by not restricting trade? And allowed new companies to compete with plants in the US who also stimulate the economy?"
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Replying to: tlong (Dec 06, 2008 4:17 pm) |
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Dec 06, 2008 1:39 pm) Toyota Retiree, "Welcome to Wal~Mart! Welcome to Wal~Mart! Welcome to Wal~Mart!"
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Replying to: lemko (Dec 06, 2008 4:29 pm) |
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I did not vote for any candidate that voted for the $700b bailout. It is the Democrat Congress that pushed for all the money for the banks and insurance companies. Republicans as a group were against the bailouts. A few were persuaded and noted. I say vote them all out next time they are up for election. This government and the next are not for the working middle class... "Across cultures, religions, union and nonunion, we all say this bailout was a shame," said Richard Berg, president of Teamsters Local 743. "If this bailout should go to anything, it should go to the workers of this country." Outside the plant, protesters wore stickers and carried signs that said, "You got bailed out, we got sold out." Whether it is 1 person or 200 or 2000 it hurts each individual. So no wonder Toyota sales are down 43%. There is a credit crunch that is killing the big3. Give them the loans and get on with fixing the overall economy so that hundreds of billions of dollars a year can be loaned to car buyers. That was then, this is NOW. Hopefully lenders will not do like they did in the past giving loans to people that could not pay them back. Or worse yet taking equity from their homes to finance that Tahoe they always wanted. Then could not afford the gas when it hit $4.50 a gallon. You give loans to the Big3 you could be liable for loans to the imports building here. Why is that fair market giving money to one competitor and not the other? Most of the country sees a bunch of overpaid and over-benefitted whiners who hold companies hostage until they get their way. That is the absolute truth. Auto mechanics work by the job. They get a percentage of the take. Warranty work is notoriously low pay. Same GM or Ford pays for that as pays the over priced UAW guys that left the screw out that caused the failure that ended up in the shop for repair. Remember it is the shop mechanics that see the flaws left by the UAW workers. They have good reason to despise the UAW. They feel the UAW is the reason for the loss of profit & market share over the years. How does he feel about the government who let the foreign makers come into the market without tariffs? I don't know, never asked him. I know how I feel. It gives US a much higher standard of living than the other countries. We buy a Jaguar for about 10 grand less than the poor bloke in the UK where it is built. That is what free trade buys US. You go into a 100 average homes in any foreign country, then do the same here. Tell me who has the most big flat screen TVs and a TV in every room etc etc... I can bet you won't find a country anymore affluent than here. I walked into homes built out of packing crates in the Arctic Eskimo villages. They had a TV that was half the size of the room and 10 family members huddled around it. Only in America. |
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